Control device



May 4, 1943.

E. c. RANEY v CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ESTEI. C. RANEY [AS M S. SE. 2. 3 3 0 a :....w. @wm $5 S M v 3 7. J rlllL. 3 an g 3 g E. C. RANEY CONTROL DEVICE May 4, 1943.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 26, 1941 INVENTOR ESTEL C. RANEY BY M To h Krill an m f L WW ob v wm+ mm rJ N J/ l lk y 1943- E. c. RANEY 2,318,554

CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w mm m TR N m 7% C A IL 1 .l 3 Nb 3 a J Am mg m a Patented May 4, 1943 CONTROL DEVICE Estel C. Raney, Columbus, Ohio, assignor: to

Rance Incorporated, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 26, 1941, Serial No. 380,686

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to adjusting mechanisms for controlapparatus and the like.

An object of the present inventionv is to provide an adjusting mechanism for an adjustable device, which mechanism includes a plurality of members that are normally biased in. a non-ad justing position and movable. to an adjusting position for effecting a predetermined, adjustment, each of the members being automatically latched in its. adjusting position, and being unlatched. when another of the members is moved to its adjusting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjusting mechanism comprising two, pivoted levers interconnected by a link, the. levers being normally urged in one direction about their pivots, and a plurality of members each being movable to, and automatically latched, in a position in which they are adapted to engage with the link for limiting rotation of the levers, the abutting parts of the link and members being so arranged that when each of the members is. moved to its latched position, the levers will assume a diflerent position, the members being unlatched and moved out of engagement with the link when another of the members is movedto its latched position- Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent. from the following.description,,ref erence being bad to th accompanying drawings wherein preferred forms of embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings: I v

Fig. I is a top view in elevation of an adjust ing mechanism, certain parts of the mechanism,

being broken away to more clearly show certain other partsof the mechanism;

Fig.- 2 is a View similar to Fig. l, but showing certain parts of the adjusting mechanism in different positions. Also, certain parts of the mechanism are broken away for more clearly illustrating other parts of the mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing certain parts of the adjusting mechanism in different positions;

Fig. 4. is a top viewin elevation of a control device and my improved adjusting mechanism, certain parts of the adjusting mechanism being removed for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 5 is a view in section, the section, being taken on. line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a View in section the, section being taken on line 6'-6 of Fig. 1; and i Y Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, top elevational view of another form of an adjusting mechanism, certain parts of themechanism being removed for; the I sake of clarity.

For the purpose of illustrating the. invention, I have, shown arefrigerator control apparatus 20, which is adjustable by an adjusting mechanism 21, which mechanism embodies my invention. It is to be understood, however, that the adjusting mechanism may be usedv for adjusting or controlling mechanisms other than a refriger; ator controller. For. example, it may be used to control the tuning of a radio set.

The control apparatus. 20 is similar to that shown in my copending application, Serial'Number 351,010 filed August 3, 1940,3301 Control apparatus. This control apparatus comprises a thermostatically operated switching mechanism that is adapted to control the operation of an electric household refrigerator for maintaining predeterminedtemperatures in the refrigerator. A lever 24 extends from, the housing of the apparatusiil, and thislever is movable for adjust ingv the controliapparatus for causing various predetermined temperatures to; be produced in the refrigerator. As the lever is movedto the left, as viewedv in; Fig. 4, the temperatures in the refrigerator are increased. The lever 24 is normally biased toward the right by the adjusting device which is incorporatedin the control apparatus, as is clearly disclosed in my applicationreferred to hereinbefore. 'A second lever 25 exfj tends from the housing of the control apparatus for obeningthe switch of the control apparatus when the'le'vcr is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4. h f

The control apparatusZO also includes mechanism for-causing defrostingof the evaporator of the refrigerator. This mechanism is rendered,

operative by a lever 26 whichextends from one end of the control housing. This. lever, when moved rearwardly, as viewed in Fig. 4, is adapted to cause initiation, of the defrosting cycle, andv after the temperature of the evaporator has risen, above the melting point ofice, the lever is automatically returnedto its normal, or forwardposie tion when normal operation of the refrigerator is restored. The defrosting mechanism ofthe control apparatus is fully described in my copending application mentioned previously.

Th adjusting mechanism 2| includes a frame 28, formed by a channel shaped sheet metal member having a yoke wall, 29 and two upwardly. extending confronting side walls 30 and 3|. The frame 28 is attached, to the control apparatus 20 by two lugs 32'. which lugs extend. from the control housing, through; slots in the-Wall .3iland 7 frame 28 and rest on the wall 29.

31 are interconnected by a link member 44, which is pivotally connected to the arms 43 by suitable pins. The link member 44 is provided with an Each of the members 56 is adapted to be auto matically latched in a predetermined position, for engagement with the link 50, by a latching mechanism 55. The latching mechanism, which may be seen to best advantage in Fig. 4, comprises an elongated plate 68 having two slots 69 therein. Two studs 16 extend upwardly from the wall 29 of the frame 28 and through the slots 69. These studs cooperate with the edges of the slots for guiding the plate 66 in a direction laterally with respect to the direction of movement of r the member 56. The plate 68 is spaced from the outwardly extending portion 46, and an upwardly with the adjusting lever 24 of the control 26.

It is apparent that by rotating the crank levers 36 and 31 to the right or left, as viewed in Fig. 4,

the link member 44 will be moved to the right or left for controlling movement of the lever 24. Since the lever 24 of the control 26 is constantly biased to the right, it is resiliently maintained in engagement with the end ofthe flange 41 and it also biases the crank levers 36 and 31, through the link 44, clockwise.

- A second link member 50 interconnects the cranklevers 36 and 31, and is pivotally attached toithe ends of arms 5| of the crank members by suitable pins. The end portions of the arms 5| are oif-set downwardly, as is illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the links 44 and 50 will move in separate planes- The rearward edge of the link 50 is turned downwardly at 52 for rendering the link.

rigid, and the forward edge of the link 50 has oilsets 53 which are progressively off-set with respect to one another. It is apparent that the crank levers 36 and 31, being resiliently urged clockwise, tend to carry the link 56 forwardly toward the wall 3| of the frame 28.

A plurality of keys or adjusting members 56, identical with one another, are slideably mounted on the frame 28. through guide slotsformed in the wall 3! of the 4 The inner ends of the members 56 are provided with downwardly turned fingers 51, which fingers slide in slots 58 formed in the wall 29 of the frame 28 and cooperatewith the, edges of the slots for guiding the member 56 transversely with respect to the frame 28. Eachof the members 56 is provided with a knob 59 on the outer end thereof,

These members 56 extend.

so that the members may be pressed inwardly manually. 'The members 56 are biased outwardly by coil springs 6|; that are placed about the membars 56 intermediate the wall 3| and the knobs 59. 1 Each of the adjusting members is provided with an upturned lug 62 which abuts the inside of thewall 3| and forms stops for limiting outwardimovement of the members 56. Each of the lugs 62 is in alignment with an off-set portion 53 of the link 56 so that when the members 56 are presed inwardly, the lugs 62 can engage with the respective off-set portions 53.

It is apparent that when any one of the adjusting members 56 is pressed inwardly to a predetermined position, the lug 62 thereof is engaged with" the link 59, since. levers ,36 and 31 are biased clockwise, and the positions of the crank levers 36 and 31 are thus determined. Hence, the members 56, when pressed inwardly to a predetermined position, form stops for limiting rotation of the crank levers 36 and 31, thereby determining the position of the adjusting lever 24 of the control apparatus 29.

wall 29 of the frame 28 by downwardly extending flanges l2 and 13, and overlies portions of the members 56. The flanges 12 extend into a channel H formed in the wall 29 of the frame 28. A flange 12 is located adjacent an edge of each of the adjusting members 56. The plate 68 is constantly urged to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, by a hairpin shaped spring 14, which spring is interposed between one of the flanges 13 and a lug struck up from the wall 29 of the frame 28. When the plate 68 is urged to the left by the spring 14, a flange 12 thereof is immediately adjacent or in engagement with an edge of each' of the adjusting members 56.

A V shaped cam 15 is formed on each of the justing member is pushed inwardly further, the.

surface 11 of the cam engages the flange and permits the plate 68 to move to the left, and when the cam surface TI moves beyond the flange, the plate 68 moves the flange in front of the shoulder l8'on the member 56. When the member 56 is released by the operator, theshoulder '18 abuts the flange l2 and themember 56 is thereby latched in position. This is illustrated in Fig. 1, for example, wherein the latching member 56, indicated at A, is shown in its latched position. The plate 68 is notched at 19 for receiving the lugs 62 of the member 56 when the members are in their latched positions. Thus, each of the members 56 is latched in a predetermined position when it is pressed inwardly.

When another of any of the adjusting members 56 is pressed inwardly, its cam l5 engages the edge of the flange 12 adjacent an edge thereof and causes the plate 66 to be moved to the right. This causes the flange 72, in alignment with the shoulder E8 of the latched adjusting member, to be moved out of alignment with that shoulder and into engagement with the cam surface 11 of the latter member. This is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein an adjusting member 56, indicated by B, is shown moved toward its latched position while member A is latched. The spring 6i associated with the adjusting member A moves the member A outwardly as the plate 68 is moved member A passes the flange 12, the plate. 68

then moves to the left for latching the adjusting member. 3- in; position. in: a. manner. similar: to-

that in: which the. member A. was latched; Similarly, when any one of themem-bers56; is pressed. inwardly, the: latching mechanism releases. any

ofzthe. other adjusting: members latched thereby and their latches the inwardly pressed member.

By forming the channel H and extending the. ends of: the flanges. 12 therein, the. ends of the; flanges: extend beyond the cams. l and therefore, cannot bind with the camsurfaces; evenv though. the plate; 68. moves outwardly, slightly, due. to wearing; or. play betweenv certain parts of the locking mechanism.

Since the. adjusting. members 55 areidentical, whemthe'yare. movedtor their latched positions the lugs 62 thereof will be. inwardly equal; dis:- tances: from. the wall 3:! of theframe. 28;, for example In: order to cause the. lever Mofthe control apparatus. to move to: different: adjust i'ng positions. when different. members 55. are: moved .to their latched positions, the. oif-set; poi? tions 53fare providedion the link 58.. These:- off.- set'. portions. permit different'degrees of .rotationof the crank levers 36 andr3f'lwhen; different adjust-. ing members.- 55" are moved-to their latched positions, respectively, although the members; are identical and are. movedinwardly the. same. dis, tance. Thus by pressing difierent adjusting members. 56, the adjustment of the control mech.- anism is changed.

Obviously the same results canbe-producedby providing adjusting members having. lugs, corresponding to the lugs 62,. but positionedatdifier-- ent intervals along different members for causing more or less. rotation of the levers 36S and. 3.!

as" diflferent members arepressed inwardly to their latched positions. I. preferto use. the arrangement. illustrated because each of the ad.- justing members 56 can-.be .ma-de identicaL.

Inordertoopen the switchof the .control:ap-- I paratus 2(1 by the lever 25,. a. lever flfliszpivota'lly supported: on a stud. 8?! which. extends. from; the:

and a' knob 59 is secured on the end of the extending portion. The opposite end of the member. 85extends through aslot in the wall. 38 of: theirame 28: andcooperates with the. edges .ofthe;

slot for guiding the member 85 when it is moved. transversely with respect to. the frame. 28. A

spring 6| is interposed between the wall 3t. and

the knob 59 for biasing the member 85- outward.-

ly. A shoulder 86 is formed on the member, 85'

for limiting outward movement of the member by the spring 6|. A stud 81 is provided on the member 85, and this stud is received in a slot .88 formed in the end of the lever 88. Thus, when the member 85 is pressed inwardly, the lever 88 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, and the lever is moved to the left by the wire 82 and causes the switch of the control apparatus to be opened.

The member 85 is latched in the switch opening position by the latching mechanism in a manner similar to that in which the members 58 are latched. One of the flanges 12 of the plate 88 is disposed to lie adjacent the edge of the member 85, and a cam 15, similar to the cams I5 formed on the adinstingmembers 56,, is formed onthe member 85 and inalignment with. the flanged-2: jacent the cam 15, which shoulder is adapted to engage the inner face of the flange 12 adjacent themember 85or latching themember 85, when;

the-'lnember. is pressedin-ward-ly. It; is apparent, that. when the-member 85 is pressedinwa-rdly for causing the switch of the controller 28 to be opened, the cam 15 will cause the plate 68 to be movedto the right for releasing any of'the adjusting members 56 from their latching-- positions position, and when the member 85 is unlatched,v

the lever 25 moves to that position.

The defrosting; lever 26. of the control apparatusis adapted to be operated by a member which isextended through slots in the walls. 30 and 3| of the frame 28. One end 9| of the member 95] is furcated, and a-stud 92 on the end of the defrosting lever. 26 is extended beyond the. prongs of thefurcated section. A knob 59* is mountedzon the oppositeiend of the member 90' so that: the member 90 can be pushed inwardly; Themechanism of the controller 20-isso arranged that when the lever 25 is moved rearwardly by the memberfill', a defrosting cycle will be initiated in the refrigerator and'after the refrigerator hasdefrosted, the: lever 26' will be automatically moved forwardly, which returns the member 90 to its outward position. In the present em bodiment of the invention the member 98 is not associated with the latching mechanism, since defrosting can be accomplished without disturbing the normal adjustment of the control. i

If in theembod-iment of the inventionjust described, all of the adjusting members 56 and the member were latched simultaneously, it would be impossible to release any of these members without gaining access to the plate 58 and mov mg the plate to the-unlatched position by ex traneous means; In order to obviate any difficulty arising from this characteristic of the mecha nism', I have provided another form of embodiment of the invention, which is'shown in Fig. 7. I this embodiment, the plate 68 is provided'with a cam surface93, which surface is in alignment with the lug 62* of one'of the adjusting members 56. Preferably, the cam. surface 93 is in align-- ment withthe lug 62 of the adjusting member A When this particular. member 553is pressed inwardly beyond its latching position, the lug 62' engaging the cam will move the plate 68 to the right and unlatch the other adjusting members 58 and the member 85. The adjusting mechanism 2| and the controller 28 can be attached to the rear side of a bafile plate of the refrigerator by extending bolts through suitable openings formed in the wall 3| of the frame 28. The baffle plateis preferably formed with a slot through which the knob 59 can be extended.

By my invention a control apparatus, or the like, can be adjusted to predetermined adjustments by pressing any one of a plurality of ad- A shoulder 18 is also provided-ad.-.

justing members, which members will be locked in their adjusting positions until another of the adjusting members is pressed to its adjusting position.

While the forms of embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. An' adjusting mechanism including in combination, a plurality of adjusting members, each of said members including a shaft having a knob atone end thereof and an abutment spaced from the knob, the abutments and knobs of the respective adjusting members being spaced apart equally, said adjusting members being movable between two positions, the movement of said members between said two positions being substantially equal; an elongated member; means for" mounting the elongated member for movement substantially parallel with the movement of said adjusting members, said elongated member having portions thereof in alignment with the abutments of said adjusting members and being'engageable by said abutments when the adjusting members are moved from one of said positions toward the other of said positions, said portions of the elongated member being spaced from the respective abutments diiferent distances when the adjusting members are in said one position for causing the elongated member to be moved a different degree by one of the adjusting members when said one adjusting member is moved between said positionsthan by another of said adjusting members when the latter adjusting memberis moved between said two positions; and mechanism to be adjusted movable by the said parallel movement of the elongated member.

2. An adjusting mechanism including inv combination, a plurality of adjusting members, each of said members including a shaft having a knob at one end thereof and an abutment spaced from the knob, the abutments and knobs of the respective adjusting members being spaced apart equally, said adjusting members being movable between two positions, the movements of said members between said two positions being substantially equal; means normally urging each of said members toward one of said positions; an elongated member; means for mounting the elongated member for movement substantially parallel with the movement of said adjustingmembers, said elongated member having portions thereof in alignment with the abutments of said adjusting members and being engageable by said abutments when the adjusting members are moved from one of said positions towardthe other of said positions, said portions of the elongated member being spaced from the respective abutments difierent distances when the members are in said one position for causing the elongated member to be moved a different degree by one of the adjusting members when said one adjusting member is moved between said positions than when moved by another of said adjusting members when the latter adjusting member is moved between said two positions; and mechanism to be adjusted movable bythe said parallel movement of the elongated member.

3'. An adjusting mechanism including in com bination, a plurality of adjusting members, each of said members including a shaft having a knob at one end thereof and an abutment spaced from the knob, the abutments and knobs of the respectiv adjusting members being spaced apart equally, said adjusting members being movable between two positions, the movements of said members between said two positions being substantially equal; means normally urging each of saidmembers toward one of said positions; an elongated member; means for mounting the elongated member for movement substantially parallel with the movement of said adjusting members, said elongated member having portions thereof in alignment with the abutment of each of said adjusting members and being engageable by said abutments when the adjusting members are moved from one of said positions toward the other of said positions, said portions of the elongated member being spaced from the respective abutments different distances when the members are in said one position for causing the elongated member to be moved a difierent distance by one of the adjusting members when said one adjusting member is moved between said positions than when moved by another of said adjusting members when the latter adjusting member is moved between said two positions; mechanism to be adjusted movable by said parallel movement of the'elongated member and means for latching any one of said adjusting members in the other offset portions being engageable by' one of the adjusting members, respectively, when the 'ad-' justing members are moved from said one position'to the other of said positions for causing theelongated member to be moved to predeter mined positions; and means'urging said elongated member toward said members.

ESTEL c. RANEY. 

